THE UPPER CRUST
ALL THE BEST FINE FOODS, 1101 YONGE ST.
“The world’s too skinny, that’s what I say,” says Zane Caplansky, owner of Caplansky’s Deli, turning toward Dufflet Rosenberg, owner of Dufflet Pastries, “and neither of us is in the dietary food business.”
Indeed, their respective expertise in meat and pastry makes them ideal for finding the city’s best chicken pot pie. All the Best’s offering presents a perfect balance of cream sauce, chicken and veggies, and the pastry is exquisite — light, fluffy and absorbent. “When you cut into it, the pastry soaks up the insides. It’s not too thickened,” says Caplansky.
All the Best Fine Foods, Price: $8.95
Watch video of Dufflet & Caplansky tasting T.O.’s best chicken pot pies
FIRST RUNNER-UP
Delica Kitchen 1440 Yonge St.
A deeper vessel with more filling would have been an improvement, but the light pastry and béchamel sauce with leeks, carrot, celeriac, potato and thyme earn rave reviews from both judges.
Price: $11.99
CLUCK OF THE IRISH
Bruno’s Fine Foods 9665 Bayview Ave.
Caplansky loves the mushroom flavour and the big abundant chunks of chicken, but the flaky topping underwhelms Rosenberg. “The pastry is OK. It doesn’t have that buttery taste,” she says.
Price: $4.99
AVANT GARDE–LICIOUS
McEwan 38 Karl Fraser Rd.
“Nouveau style. Deconstructed,” says Caplansky. Both judges love the pastry cap but wish there were more of it, and they would prefer some dark meat to accompany the white. Otherwise excellent.
Price $12.95
BLAND AHOY
Summerhill Market 446 Summerhill Ave.
“The filling is kind of hospital food,” says Rosenberg. “Really bland.” Neither judge finds the pastry flaky enough, and Caplansky frowns at what he calls the “gloopiness” of the cream sauce.
Price: $4.99
Watch video of Dufflet & Caplansky tasting T.O.’s best chicken pot pies